Ex race horse owners - first time travelling...

K

kandm

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 December 2005
Messages
5,826
Location
Gloucestershire
Visit site
Hi all,

I'm taking my ex racer out in the trailer for the first time since having her (she arrived in November). She was straight off the track and hasn't travelled in a trailer before, unfortunately I don't have any other transport. On Saturday we are having our first lesson, it's about 20 minutes down the road. When she arrived she was very highly strung and a complete fruit loop when she got off the lorry, so I'm a little concerned with what I'm going to unload at the other end ;). She is a lot calmer now, and is usually very laid back about most things.

Please, good or bad, could I have your experiences of travelling, unloading, experience whilst at venue and reloading your ex racers out for the first couple of times after they've came off the track with you in their new home?

I hope this makes sense...

Give me hope guys ;)!
 
We've never had a problem with any of ours and when I worked in racing plenty did go on trailers when their owners picked them up. You say she was wound up when she came off the lorry so maybe bandage her legs and use over reach boots just for a bit more protection. She won't be used to a haynet either. I wouldn't use the full leg style travelling boots as racehorses don't tend to ever wear these in training.
 
You'll probably find she'll be absolutely fine - good thing about ex racers they've probably experienced lots of travelling.

Mine had only travelled in lorry when I got him I think but walked straight on to trailer no hassle and I actually find he travels better in trailer than he did in a lorry. He can go without travelling anywhere for months and will still walk straight on, no fuss, bless him! One of the advantages of probably having had lots of experiences early in life. They generally tend to be pretty chilled about such things.

Mine is always an utter pillock when we got to our destination, wherever that may be, but that's another story ... still travels home like a poppet :-)

Good luck and have fun - sure you'll be fine
 
I was planning on either booting her up in brushing boots all round and over reach boots. Or exercise bandages with over reach boots so she's all suited and booted when she arrives so we don't have to fuss with that.

I was quite shocked with how wound up she was when she came off, but she was on the lorry for two hours and we were all very flustered as it was dark and we were running late. I'm hoping that was a once off.

I'm hoping she will be okay as she's been exposed to travelling and going to different venues to race. Just hope her adrenaline isn't too high thinking she's about to race.

She will be travelling with a buddy too :).

Any other experiences...
 
TeamChaser said:
You'll probably find she'll be absolutely fine - good thing about ex racers they've probably experienced lots of travelling.

Mine had only travelled in lorry when I got him I think but walked straight on to trailer no hassle and I actually find he travels better in trailer than he did in a lorry. He can go without travelling anywhere for months and will still walk straight on, no fuss, bless him! One of the advantages of probably having had lots of experiences early in life. They generally tend to be pretty chilled about such things.

Mine is always an utter pillock when we got to our destination where ever that may be but that's another story ... still travels home like a poppet :-)

Good luck and have fun - sure you'll be fine
Click to expand...

I am most worried about what she will be like at the other end, tacking up could be fun ;).
 
The first time I took my flat horse to a show was his first time in a trailer - walked in not a bother at both ends. He did however shoot out the front of the trailer at the speed of light BUT as I say he was a flat horse so maybe thought he was in starting stalls plus we had managed to park straight underneath the cherrypicker with the tannoy speakers on that went off the second I opened the ramp lol! As soon as he was out and had a minute to take in his surrounding he just wanted to eat grass.

I would bandage and have a long rope to hold onto just incase but 9/10 these horses go in and out of boxes all their lives and don't make a fuss at the other end if there isn't a fuss to be made. You should be fine as I am assuming the yard will be quiet.
 
She was a flat racer too, thanks for the heads up! I think bandages are the way forwards and good shout about the long rope, I hadn't thought of that. Yeah it's a lovely private yard so perfect for first time out :). Also silly question, would you rug her to travel in? I was thinking a fleece?
 
kandm said:
Also silly question, would you rug her to travel in? I was thinking a fleece?
Click to expand...

How is she normally? Hot or cold horse?

Fig is a total wuss, but sweats up so badly! When we first took him to a yard away from home, he foamed up and was dripping under just a cotton sheet (in hoodie and light coat weather!).

At our last (freezing) outing CS travelled in a magnet sheet, full neck fleece and a 360g HW... Fig travelled in a no neck fleece and was perfect.

This weather, with a trailer, I'd still be inclined to go with less is more :) Take something thicker to put on to walk round/cool her off in though.
 
Nikki - she does get cold very quickly, have been riding her with an exercise she on at the moment and she is a lot happier with one on than off.

I think I will put her in a fleece and see what she's like, can always leave it off on the way back.
 
If you are worried she will be difficult to tack up at the venue, I would travel her tacked up..... That way you can jump straight on!
 
I have considered that but I am little worried travelling her tacked up just in case she were to be a complete div in the box. Especially as I'm borrowing my sisters saddle at the moment (fits her perfectly), I think if she broke it I would be dead meat haha! However I do have another lesson booked 2 weeks Saturday, so is something to next time if she is a witch to tack up at the other end :).
 
When I picked mine up I put travel boots on her and the yard told me that racehorses don't normally wear boots to travel. She was a nightmare, kicking and banging so after about a mile I stopped and took them off and she travelled sweet as anything. It was also her first time in a trailer.

Good luck with the lesson and I await a full report with pictures :smile3:
 
They are usually better at travelling than most normal horses!

Mine have been great, no bother at all.

I never travel in hind boots and would not put them on an ex-racer, bandage if you must, but I prefer to leave hind legs naked.

I second travelling tacked up if you think it will be an issue at the other end. If they're going to be loony in the trailer a set of tack is neither here nor there in your list of potential problems... I regularly travel mine in his tack - not because he is naughty, just because I am always running late and it saves a huge amount of time at the other end (especially as I have no groom!!)

Some will have met trailers, some won't - however most will have travelled in a forward facing two box, which in reality is not that different to travelling in a trailer.

Like most things with ex-racers, it will only be a big issue if you try and make it into one.
 
No advice to add- except to state the obvious & that is to never leave a young TB alone in the box if you're travelling with another horse, ie if the other horse goes off for his lesson first.. and always take her out first not second.
 
My OTTB went straight onto the float (once I shook a feed bucket in front of his face, he's keen on his food) and travelled beautifully then stood quietly to be tacked up. Unfortunately, he had to load in the dark alone after the ride after my friend's mare had a horrific accident at the beach and he was incredibly good then.

He was primarily floated when he raced which helped.
 
Reg is a really funny traveller- he almost loads himself, stands as calm as you like (unless he gets bored in queues, where he partakes in the sport Lorry Rocking...) and unloads nicely. He sweats like anything though, and in the early days would come off the lorry literally dripping. Now, he rarely gets like that (he created such a sauna once the carpet on the walls came unstuck!).

When he gets off the lorry, he still likes to go for a march around and sniff all the poos and eat the manky hay left by other horses. It calms him right down and lets him settle himself- Al just marches with him and lets him sort himself out. If he's wired when she gets on she lets him canter until he's sorted his brain out a bit, and now does that with Smokes too- there's no point asking them to focus when they're all over the shop, but once it's out they do knuckle down.
 
Yes, it would worry me that she was in a lather when she arrived, but there is nothing you can do about that. If possible I would do some trailer training before the longer journey. Ideally take her for a quick tour locally.
I took Silk Vestments to the races and she did a bit of "Lorry Rocking" because we were standing chatting instead of setting off straight away, but I don't think it is something you need worry about
 
Last edited:
The first outing I took mine on (about 6 weeks after I got her and a few months off the track) she travelled awfully. Pawed and rocked around the whole way there and was in a muck sweat when we arrived (only 20 min journey). She came off the lorry eyes on stalks- me thinking OMG I've got to get on this crazy 4 yo ex racer and try and do a dressage test- friend walked her round the lorry park for 10 mins to chill her out while I got changed and we decided to just tack her up and see how she was. When I tacked her up and got on she was cool as a cucumber. I think she got there, realised she wasn't racing and all the anxiety disappeared. She was totally relaxed to ride and was placed in her first ever test.

She's a much better traveller now she knows it's not that exciting. Does sweat sometimes but there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for when and is fine once she comes off the lorry. I do have to be careful what I put on her rug- wise though, she's a hot horse and can't take a lot of rugging in the lorry. Nothing or a cotton sheet in the Summer and a thin fleece in the Winter would do her fine. Obviously I take a lot more to put on her when she's standing around but she defintely doesn't need it while we're moving.
 
I travel mine tacked up as he is a star to travel with and it saves faffing about when I get to wherever (I just chuck a sheet over his tack).

He used to be very silly unloading when he travelled at first and would shoot off the trailer/box as I think he thought he was off racing... He'd spin and circle once off, never strong or nasty - he just wanted to see what was about as he's nosey! Now he comes off the ramp much better and doesn't fly off so much plus he'll now stand quietly on the box for as long as needed, whereas initially he wanted to be off and be out :) He's always been a saint to load (bar one bad experience) and travels like a pro to the point where he goes to sleep sometimes.
 
I always traveled mine in overreach boots, nothing more. He was good to travel in the lorry in company but not great on his own, I never traveled him in a trailer but had loaded him on one and he was much more relaxed than a lorry, I've known a couple of other people say that too, maybe because they associate lorries with racing and a trailer is different.

First show I ever took mine too he flew off the lorry at 200mph, had to be tacked up at a trot and I was legged up and told to sit like a sack of **** and not touch his mouth!! I'm pleased to say that after about 45mins he realised that he wasn't racing and we managed to do a dressage test, on grass and canter within the boards of the arena!! :D
 
Mine hasn't been that great, the first few mins he's on the lorry he can react and start pawing, jumping around etc, I tends to load and drive very soon as once on the move he's ok. He did react really badly once on the way back though, reared up, smashed the roof in and generally got a right state, was horrible to experience but no lasting harm done. I went right back to basics and spent ages loading him, grooming him, feeding him on there and built up with very small journeys first until he settled more. We've not been out over winter so it'll be interesting come spring to see what he's like, he's 5.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top